Electric heater



W. J. AAGESEN ELECTRIC HEATER Filed June 5, 1950 Oct. 24, 1950 INVENTOR JRW H MMHM QQ BY M ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 24, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC HEATER Walter J. Aagesen, Anderson, Ind. Application June 5, 1950, Serial No. 166,229

3 Claims.

This invention relates to heaters and more particularly to small heater units for warming dental tools or the like.

When working within the mouth cavity dentists and technicians make very frequent use of a small reflecting mirror which is mounted at the end of a slim, elongated handle. The handle and mirror frame are made of highly polished, non-corrosive metal and the mirror portion is tightly bonded to the frame to permit frequent sterilization of the instrument.

The chief difficulty experienced in the use of this mirror is that because of its high conductivity it ver quickly assume the temperature of the room in which it is used or of the sterilizing bath in which it may be immersed, and consequently when it is placed in the mouth of the patient and in the path of the warm, moist breath being expelled, moisture is condensed on the coole mirror and its becomes fogged. The only way in which this fogging may be eliminated is the pre-heating of the mirror to a term perature equal to or greater than that of the expelled breath of the patient.

It is an object of this invention to provide a small, economical heater which will support a number of dental mirrors or the like and maintain them at a desired temperature for instant use by the dentist.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a heater for dental mirrors or the like in which the supportin means for the mirrors is so constructed that the mirror may be quickly and easily detached therefrom and then replaced by the dentist during work on the oral cavity.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a heater housing which may be easily cleaned and sterilized and wherein the mirror elements when supported therein are substan tially covered to reduce the settling of atmosphere dust thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a heating unit which may be used, if desired, for the heating of many of the standard dental tools, thus reducing the shock of the cold metal tools on a sensitive tooth area.

A further object of the invention is to provide an economical heater unit wherein the heat is supplied by an ordinary incandescent lamp and the maximum temperature of the unit may be somewhat controlled by the selection of the lamp size.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a small, portable heating unit for dental mirrors which may be supported on a table or bench, or suspended on a wall, and plugged in any standard lamp socket.

With the above and other objects in view, as will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a front elevational view showing the heatin unit with a mirror in place and partly broken away to show the heating element; and

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

In the preferred form of the invention shown herein the numeral IQ designates the back plate of the heater unit, this serving as a base for the assembly of the remainder of the heater.

Extending from the lower marginal side edges of the back plate is are the side plates H which form the side walls of a rectangular enclosure. A plate l2 forms the front wall of the enclosure, and this plate is turned inwardly, at its upper end, as shown, to form a top wall [3 of said enclosure.

The front wall plate 12 has an elongated slot I 4 formed at the upper marginal edge thereof and preferably terminating just inwardly of the side marginal edges of said front wall plate, as

shown at I5.

Extending inwardly a substantial distance from the outer marginal edge of the top wall [3 are a plurality of parallel, spaced slots IS.

The bottom wall of the enclosure fOr the heating element is formed of a plate I! which at its outer marginal edge is curled, as shown at it, around a pintle pin i9, thus forming a hinge, the outer ends of said pin bein loosely journalled in holes drilled at the lower, outer corners of the side plates II. In order to hold the plate in closed position a small portion of the lower marginal edge of the back plate is crimped inwardly of the enclosure to form a friction catch 20.

In order to form a shallow pocket for the mirror elements, or the heads of any similar tools, a partition 2! is secured in the enclosure at approximately the level of the lower edge of the slot I4. This partition is preferably corrugated, as shown, and preferably formed of metal, such as copper, which has a high heat conductivity.

On the back wall of the heater enclosure below the partition 2| and running the length of said wall may be secured, if desired, a heat reflecting mirror 22.

The heating element for the device consists of any standard lamp L which is carried in the standard socket S secured in any desired manner to one of the end walls ll. Current for the lamp is supplied by the electrical cord 23 and controlled by any switch 24, the cord being insulated from the heater by the insulator bushing 25.

In providing a supporting means for the tools which are to be heated, there is attached to the back .plate at its upper corners and extending outwardly over the top wall 13 of the enclosure a U-shaped bracket member 26.

Longitudinally of the outer face 21 of the bracket member 26 and spaced a Slight distance therefrom is a rod 28 which is attached to the bracket member 26 at its outer ends. An elongated coil spring 29 is threaded over said rod and the free ends of the spring are secured in any desired manner to the ends of the rod. The coils are thus held between the rod and the outer face 7 2? of the bracket member, but may still slide freely on said rod.

In the event it is desired to support the heater unit from a wall surface, the keyhole slots 30 are formed, as shown, at the upper corners of the back plate 10.

Both Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing show the use of the invention, the plurality of slots l6 providing for the suspension of several dental tools, such as the dental mirror. The mirror element M is slipped through the elongated slot 14 into the pocket formed above the partition 2 I, the lower portion of the handle H being directed into a slot IE and the upper portion being inserted between the gripping coils of the spring 29. The tool is then adjusted vertically so as to be centered between the top wall [3 and partition 2! and will be so held by the coils.

The metal forming the enclosure is preferably highly polished, with the exception of the partition 2 I, so as to reflect the maximum heat toward the partition, and this reflection may be further increased by the mirror 22. The collected heat in the pocket above the partition will thus heat the dental mirrors or other tools placed therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A heating unit for dental tools or the like including a walled enclosure, heating means for said enclosure positioned therein, there being access apertures in the upper walls of said enclosure adapted to admit the lower ends of said tools, and supporting means associated with the walled enclosure adapted to suspend said tools over said access apertures with the lower ends of said tools positioned within said Walled enclosure, said supporting means comprising a bracket extending upwardly and outwardly over said walled enclosure and a coil spring having its ends attached to said bracket, the coils of said spring being adapted to engage the handles of said tools inserted between the coils and to suspend said tools over said access apertures with the lower ends thereof positioned within said walled enclosure.

2. A heating unit for dental tools or the like including a walled enclosure, a partition separating said enclosure into upper and lower compartments, an electrical heating element positioned in said lower compartment, there being access apertures in the upper walls of said enclosure adapted to admit the lower ends of said tools, and supporting means associated with the walled enclosure adapted to suspend said tools over said access apertures with the lower ends of said tools positioned within said upper compartment, said supporting means comprising a bracket extending upwardly and outwardly over said walled enclosure and a coil spring having its ends attached to said bracket, the coils of said spring being adapted to engage the handles of tools inserted between the coils and to suspend them over said access apertures with the lower ends thereof positioned within said upper compartment.

3. A heating unit for dental tools or the like including an enclosure having a top and four side walls and a hinged access vplate forming the bottom wall, a partition separating said enclosure into upper and lower compartments, there being an elongated slot at the upper marginal edge of the front wall and a plurality of tool spacing slots in the top wall extending inwardly from the outer marginal edge thereof, an electric heating element positioned in said lower compartment, an elongated L-shaped bracket arm extending upwardly from the rear side wall of said enclosure and inwardly over said tool spacing slots, a coil spring extending lengthwise of the free end of said bracket arm and having its ends attached to said arm, and a supporting rod extending through said coil spring and spaced inwardly of the longitudinal axis thereof and having either end attached to said bracket arm.

WALTER J. AAGESEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 686,782 Thompson Nov. 19, 1901 1,550,334 Baxter Aug. 18, 1925 2,093,059 Schroder Sept. 14, 1937 2,180,213 Peake Nov. 14, 1939 

